Do either the Kyle line, the Far North Line, or the WHL have good onboard WiFi?

[arabianights]

And if so how reliable is it?

My last week working in Scotland. Looking to do a day of it on one of the above, should be vageuly feasible if the wifi is ok alnog vast majority of it (also I need at a minimum to be able to use ssh and rdp).

How is it, if it even exists?

 

[Bletchleyite]

You're joking, right? On-train wifi is based mainly on mobile phone technology. There is likely to be no mobile phone coverage whatsoever on the vast majority of those lines, nor would you really expect it - it's the middle of nowhere!

If you're an employee I'd suggest a day's annual leave

 

[47271]

Not a sausage on the West Highland, it isn't fitted to 156s.

Kyle and Far North - well, the 158s are fitted but the mobile coverage where it exists is plain old GSM unless you're in some of the larger towns.

If you absolutely must work on trains in remote areas, my advice is get a dongle so you can watch connection speed and dip in and out accordingly, and make sure everything you do can survive offline. Even then I wouldn't bother myself on the lines you describe, that's just what I do to survive generally north of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Signal is pretty good between Stirling and Perth now since the Ryder Cup if you want any tips for good rural mobile and wifi coverage on Scotrail, go up and down that line all day long, the scenery is very attractive...

 

[ainsworth74]

Agree with the above. It is surprisingly good but only as much as considering how remote the area you are travelling through is! If you only need intermittent internet access and can do most of the stuff online and only need to access work intranet from time to time then it might be possible to work effectively but if you need to connected all the time and/or at a good speed then don't try it.

 

[jopsuk]

Even if there was good signal, can you use ssh and rdp on ANY on-train wifi?

 

[ryan125hst]

It's funny a thread about mobile signal should come up as I've been looking into this over the last week or so. I'm studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at uni so how mobile's work interests me (as do power stations and, of course, railway signalling )

You'd be surprised how even urban areas can suffer from areas without mobile signal. I had an exam at a different campus of my uni to where I am normally based and was surprised to find that the main building there had no mobile signal on Three. Mind you, a coursemate had 4G on Vodafone which is the opposite of what you'll find in more rural areas, as O2 and Vodafone have little in the way of even 3G coverage in many places, although this is set to improve. A prime example is at my grandparents where I get get about 7 Mbps upstairs on 3G on Three (although the signal isn't as good downstairs and I struggle to get anything in the kitchen), EE offer 4G according to their coverage map, and if you're on O2 or Vodafone, it's 2G only- welcome to the 1990's!. What's even more surprising is that both the ECML and the A1 run through the place where they live and, while I believe it is still classed as a village, it is quite large. Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent here so let's get back on topic

EE have the best 3G and 4G coverage overall so if you look on their coverage checker, you'll see a prediction of where they expect you'll get coverage, although it might not be 100% accurate.

http://ee.co.uk/ee-and-me/why-ee/uks-no1-network/mobile-coverage#theCoverageContainer

 

[exile]

Why not just look at the scenery?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Why not just look at the scenery?

Quite. Though I admit I find I am strangely productive on a train with a bit of scenery to glance at occasionally when I fancy a break from the screen.

 

[ainsworth74]

Quite. Though I admit I find I am strangely productive on a train with a bit of scenery to glance at occasionally when I fancy a break from the screen.

One of my years at Uni I had a seminar every Monday afternoon. On Mondays when I was taking the train back to Uni from home I always found myself far better prepared for the seminar than if I'd been at Uni over the weekend. I don't know why but I also find it can be very productive working on a train.

 

[Bletchleyite]

One of my years at Uni I had a seminar every Monday afternoon. On Mondays when I was taking the train back to Uni from home I always found myself far better prepared for the seminar than if I'd been at Uni over the weekend. I don't know why but I also find it can be very productive working on a train.

I think some of that is because, unlike at home or in an office, there are few actual distractions. Sure, you can look out of the window or (where provided) go to the buffet, but other than that you're sitting in a relatively comfortable environment (mostly) with little else to do than concentrate on what you're trying to get done.

 

[arabianights]

If the mods don't mind, based upon the first few posts I'd actually like to expand this thread to interesting/civilised rail journeys to do in scotland with decent (but doesn't have to be perfect) internet. Interest is mostly expected from secnery, but interesting stock will also be considrered

How do those loco hauleds to/from gleneagles do? Do they have decent wifi?

Also, while it isn't Scotland, my nearest station is Maybole and thus I'd be prepared to risk England - what about the Cumbrian coast 37s? I'm also now, in a rambly-way, sort of thinking to myself now I should do the Borders Line? I do want first class, medium loaded at most, if posssible, due to being fat.

 

[Starmill]

I will have you all know that I have made a voice-over-wifi call using the train's wifi (no signal on Three) somewhere in the Strathcarron area.

Clearly you're due a teip to The Kyle Neil!

The VT East Coast services within Scotland offer basic but useful wifi coverage.

 

[D6975]

Also, while it isn't Scotland, my nearest station is Maybole and thus I'd be prepared to risk England - what about the Cumbrian coast 37s? I'm also now, in a rambly-way, sort of thinking to myself now I should do the Borders Line? I do want first class, medium loaded at most, if posssible, due to being fat.

When I was up on the Cumbrian coast last summer using a dongle, there was no signal for most of the middle section and sometimes my dongle refused to work because I was roaming. Yup it thought I was on the Isle of Man, not surprising really given the clear line of sight.

 

[33056]

When I was up on the Cumbrian coast last summer using a dongle, there was no signal for most of the middle section and sometimes my dongle refused to work because I was roaming. Yup it thought I was on the Isle of Man, not surprising really given the clear line of sight.

I once got a "Welcome to the Isle of Man" text on my phone whilst travelling along the Cumbrian Coast. It's not the only time I have experienced getting a text message from somewhere I have never been, got a "Welcome to Russia" text whilst in Koidula Yard, Estonia a few years ago. The border is about a mile away and the charges were eye-watering hock:

 

[delt1c]

Went From Inverness To Kyle in October last year and onboard free WIFI was excellent in both direction and that was unrefurbished 158's. Then traveled from Edinburgh to Manchester 1st class on one the new TPE 350's 1st class and no WIFI

 

[cf111]

The FNL wifi works well apart from between Forsinard to Helmsdale. It cuts out here and there but that's the only real "blackspot" I've found.

 

[SeanG]

I once got a "Welcome to the Isle of Man" text on my phone whilst travelling along the Cumbrian Coast. It's not the only time I have experienced getting a text message from somewhere I have never been, got a "Welcome to Russia" text whilst in Koidula Yard, Estonia a few years ago. The border is about a mile away and the charges were eye-watering hock:

Whenever I go to the Isle of Man I get a "Welcome to Guernsey" text

 

[QueensCurve]

And if so how reliable is it?

My last week working in Scotland. Looking to do a day of it on one of the above, should be vageuly feasible if the wifi is ok alnog vast majority of it (also I need at a minimum to be able to use ssh and rdp).

How is it, if it even exists?

I would be very surprised if it does.

On-train WiFi requires the equipment to be installed on the sets, and an infrastructure to connect the train continuously to the internet. I doubt if they have either.

Even the Virgin west coast WiFi is ropey and the blurb about it admitted to a degraded service betwixt Lancaster and Carlisle.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Also, while it isn't Scotland, my nearest station is Maybole and thus I'd be prepared to risk England - what about the Cumbrian coast 37s? I'm also now, in a rambly-way, sort of thinking to myself now I should do the Borders Line? I do want first class, medium loaded at most, if posssible, due to being fat.

Huge tracts of the Cumbrian Coast route are virtually devoid of mobile communication (GSM-R apart) You would be lucky to get any signal whatsoever between Harrington and Silecroft. If you do it will be sporadic.

 

[HSTEd]

If you want a reliable connection might want to talk to Inmarsat.

 

[ainsworth74]

If you want a reliable connection might want to talk to Inmarsat.

Though some may feel that this is an extreme step for a one-off trip

 

[jopsuk]

I
How do those loco hauleds to/from gleneagles do? Do they have decent wifi?

Gleneagles was only served by loco hauled trains in daytime during the Ryder Cup. It's normal service is Scotrail DMUs, which have reasonable wifi. I'd be surprised if you can ssh over their wifi though- they won't want you to able to circumvent the blocks on youtube, iplayer etc.
There's also one train per day each way run by East Coast using an HST. Oh and the Sleeper.

Also, while it isn't Scotland, my nearest station is Maybole and thus I'd be prepared to risk England - what about the Cumbrian coast 37s? ... I do want first class, medium loaded at most, if posssible, due to being fat.

Northern don't have 1st class. The Cumbrian coast uses (as far as I know) standard-class only Mark 2s without wifi or power sockets.

 

[Crossover]

My experience of the WiFi on the line to Wick was it was very hit and miss - mostly miss. I wouldn't rely on it for doing any work if I were you

I think some of that is because, unlike at home or in an office, there are few actual distractions. Sure, you can look out of the window or (where provided) go to the buffet, but other than that you're sitting in a relatively comfortable environment (mostly) with little else to do than concentrate on what you're trying to get done.

I have travelled by train on business a couple of times now and got quite a bit done - also found that XCs WiFi works pretty well too.

I've also found similar for reading - was on a trip to Hampshire at the end of last year and once it got dark, rather than trying to do battle with mobile data, sat back and read a book instead, same on the Voyager back to Leeds. At home I usually find something else to do and it was a book I'd been trying to read for a couple of years

 

[ainsworth74]

The Cumbrian coast uses (as far as I know) standard-class only Mark 2s without wifi or power sockets.

Yup no wifi or sockets. Same goes for the DMUs as well!

 

[johnmoly]

I once got a "Welcome to the Isle of Man" text on my phone whilst travelling along the Cumbrian Coast. It's not the only time I have experienced getting a text message from somewhere I have never been, got a "Welcome to Russia" text whilst in Koidula Yard, Estonia a few years ago. The border is about a mile away and the charges were eye-watering hock:

A few years ago when on a cruise round the Canary Islands, arriving at Santa Cruz de la Palma, when the wife switched on her mobile she got the roaming message ' Welcome to the Isle of Man ' !!